Congress, Don’t be the ‘Grinch that Stole Healthcare’!

By Mindy Holcomb, West Virginia Citizen Action Group Healthcare Organizer

Millions of Americans are struggling with the high cost of goods and services this holiday season, as politicians in Congress remain fixated on the past instead of fighting for our future.

There’s no better example than the current healthcare affordability crisis.

The government shutdown has been over for nearly a month, but Congress still hasn’t fixed the mess it created with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which lets the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits expire at the end of the year. Without an extension, health insurance will become unaffordable for millions of Americans and tens of thousands of West Virginians.

It’s the Grinch story all over again—only now the Grinches in Congress, with hearts “two sizes too small,” plan to swipe people’s healthcare at the stroke of midnight on December 31.

The OBBBA made permanent Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy, so how can they say “we can’t afford” to extend help to those just trying to stay healthy enough to work, feed their families and pay the bills?

Twenty-four million Americans and over 67,000 West Virginians are enrolled in ACA marketplaces. More than 90% of these enrollees use premium tax credits to help pay for their coverage. Before the enhanced premium tax credits, only about half as many people could afford coverage. If Congress lets these  tax credits expire, the number of people who can’t afford coverage will skyrocket once again.

Congress needs to put the Grinch back in the box and renew the ACA premium tax credits before the holidays, so folks can celebrate without worrying, knowing they can keep the care they need.

Time is running out. No excuses or blaming will do; quit the finger-pointing and get it done! Congress being reformed seems like a stretch, but extending the credits would be a good start and help their hearts grow.